


Arrow Through Me

by caramelkaren



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: F/M, M/M, Unrequited Love, mentioned relationships, post-Yverdon-les-Bains
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-15
Updated: 2013-02-15
Packaged: 2017-11-29 08:10:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/684738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caramelkaren/pseuds/caramelkaren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martin is conflicted about whether or not he should take the job with Swiss Airways, and Arthur seems depressed about being alone on Valentine's Day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Arrow Through Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Cabin Pressure fic, so please don't be harsh about it!
> 
> And also, I just realized that maybe setting the day of Martin's interview as the Yverdon-les-Bains airdate probably doesn't fit time-wise. Three months from now is not June. Unless Martin's saying that instead of three and a half...

“Happy Valentine's Day, chaps!” Arthur announced as he entered the flight deck. “I've got chocolate, and it's heart-shaped! Isn't that brilliant?” He handed out the chocolate to both pilots, grinning broadly.

Martin never would've thought he'd be so happy to see Arthur being so overbearingly happy about a holiday. But he was. Just yesterday Martin had been given the job offer of his life. He made it through an interview with Swiss Airways and managed to be hired. Only he told a lie. He told everyone else at MJN that “they'll let me know.” He should've told them the good news. He should've been overly excited and gloating about how he'd finally be paid to fly for a proper airline. But he couldn't.

How did MJN become so close to his heart? Just a few years ago he would've never lied like that. This wouldn't have been such a dilemma, choosing between leaving or staying.

Then again, a few years ago, there was no way he'd even get the job anyways. It was only through being MJN's unpaid captain that he made it anywhere. Not only did it give him flight experience, but being exposed to the other three nearly every day for over five years really helped shape him. He knew he was acting more confident in himself than when he began. Carolyn, Douglas, and Arthur were there for him, even when he didn't think they were, even when it may have taken a while for them all to warm up to him and vice versa.

To believe he was actually considering turning down a 22,000 pound salary all due to loyalty.

As he looked down at the chocolate heart he now held in his hand, he doubted Swiss Airways would perform little acts like this. Little bouts of kindness.

“Thank you, Arthur.” And when he said it, he didn't just mean for the piece of candy.

“Yes, thank you,” Douglas added in. “And it looks like your dragonfruit dilemma has cleared itself up.”

“Yeah, it has! Only I don't have anyone to steward on this flight, so I guess it wouldn't have mattered if I was better or not.”

“But it's nice for us to understand you too.”

“Anyways, do any of you have any _brilliant_ Valentine's plans?” Arthur asked.

“I'm going to swing by to see my little girl.”

“Oh, those early years when your parents act as your Valentines,” Martin responded almost reminiscently. “I still remember my mum claiming to be mine.”

“I dread the day she grows up enough to actually have a boy to be hers. What about you, Martin? What do you and the Princess of Liechtenstein have in store?”

“Oh, didn't I tell you? How did it slip my mind? We had our plans last night. Theresa has some important business to attend to today apparently. So we scheduled dinner for yesterday, since I'd be, well, somewhat close to Vaduz, and of course it served as a good way to either celebrate or lessen the blow of my interview, which, _as we all know_ , is up in the air.”

“Well, good for you, Martin.”

“It must have been brilliant, Skip!”

Martin felt a sudden lump in his throat when he heard Arthur. It was that lacklustery voice he had been using lately. The one where he seemed to be torn between being happy for his Skipper yet not wanting to lose him either.

But why did he sound that way now? It wasn't like he was actually discussing leaving again. He was just talking about a date. Unless...

“Arthur, what are your plans?”

“Oh, same as every year. Just stay at home and watch old black-and-white time romances. I love how they used to love! I wish I had someone to treat that way.”

And there was the answer. Arthur was longing for a relationship. Martin sighed to himself. That was the problem with Valentine's Day. It was all played out so that it made you look bad if you were single. The Mum-as-Valentine tradition? Martin never grew out of that until he left the house. Every 14th of February he was pitifully single, and it was embarrassing. He knew what Arthur was going through, and here he was, doing the one thing he hated on this day. And that was flaunting his relationship without taking into consideration the singleness of the others around him.

And of course Arthur would be upset at being single! He still remembered on, what was it, his first Birling Day? Yeah, that sounded right, on his first one, the young steward complained to him that Mr. Birling claimed he'd never keep a girlfriend. Of course at the time Martin was too frustrated by their passenger's ludicrous expectations to care, so he shrugged him off and said to call Carolyn about it. But this time he wasn't going to just ignore his friend's fear of being alone.

“Arthur, I've got a better idea. Why don't I take you out somewhere and see if we can find you a lovely Valentine?”

“Oh, would you, Skip?”

“Yes,” Douglas chimed in, “Let's have _Martin_ help you find a date.”

“Um, in case you haven't noticed, I have improved around women lately.”

“Sheer luck.”

“You think so? I'm willing to bet on it.”

“Martin, you _do_ remember what happens anytime you _make a bet_.”

“Yeah, but lately the universe has been working in my favor, so I'm willing to take my chances.”

“You're really that confident you can match me with someone?” Arthur asked.

“Yes, confident enough that _Arthur Shappey_ can get a date?”

“Douglas, I know it sounds daft, but I am.”

“You put yourself into this, remember. So, what are the stakes this time?”

“Umm...well, m-maybe...cross-dressing? Yes, whoever loses has to pretend to be a woman for the next passenger flight!”

Douglas looked slightly, only slightly, shocked at Martin's suggestion. The captain could only smirk. He was really setting the stakes high this time. Bet the cheese tray? Absolutely. Bet on who gets stuck rooming with Arthur? Let's do it. But when Martin set the rewards, he never ran the risk of acting unprofessional such as this. He was serious this time around. After all, this could end up being his only chance to win at something at Douglas before choosing to fly for Swiss. He couldn't leave without doing something daring.

“As you wish, _Sir_. Or will I soon have to call you _Madame_?”

* * *

 Martin began to think he was over estimating the intensity in which the universe was shining on him.

He didn't really understand though. There was barely any other guys in this pub that even seemed like good catches. Martin and Arthur noticed that quickly as they sipped on their respective beers and pineapple juice.

Of course while Martin was highly dreading the what now seemed inevitable outcome of having to be a Martina for a flight, he also just felt genuinely awful for Arthur. He was doing really well. He actually seemed to tone down his, well, Arthur-ness for the night. In fact, he was actually dressed quite sharply in a white dress shirt, black trousers, and a plain red tie. But how was it not working? Every girl he started to talk to seemed to be put off after a while. One girl left when Arthur mentioned he was a steward. Another left when she observed that he actually wasn't drinking. Yet another left when he mentioned that he hadn't seen some arty-farty film she adored.

Martin was just getting agitated. There were many reasons to turn Arthur down. But none of these were it.

“And there goes another one, Martin. Am I doing something wrong?”

“No, you're doing absolutely fine. Wait, Martin? Since when do you call me _Martin_?”

“Well, I'm trying to get used to it. When you're not here, you won't be the Skipper anymore. Unless you know how to be both our captain and work for Swiss. That would be _brilliant_! But unless you can, well, I guess Mum can't afford a replacement anyway, so I guess there won't be anyone else to call Skip, so I guess it can still be you even when you leave.”

“If. _If_   I leave, Arthur.”

“No. I meant when. I know you got the job.”

“Arthur, I told you, it was a joke.”

“And that's what I didn't get! Why would you joke about getting the job?”

Martin just stared at Arthur. Sometimes it was so easy to forget that under all that...Arthur-ness (he really didn't have a better word to describe him), there was a very perceptive individual. In St. Petersburg when everyone else was worried that Gordon would get G-ERTI in the end, Arthur was calm and assured that Douglas would come up with one of his clever schemes and save the day. And he was right. Their steward knew them all so well. And once again he was right. If he actually was waiting to find out, he would've never joked and said “I got it!”

“You lied to Mum and Douglas.”

“Arthur, I don't have until June until I start up. And I never actually did confirm their offer. So they're the ones that are waiting to hear something. But I couldn't tell Douglas and Carolyn that! You said it yourself, I'd have no choice but to go.”

“So you don't know what you want.”

“No. It would be so nice to actually be paid to fly. 22,000 pounds remember! But on the other hand, I love MJN. Sure we're not, you know, the most _professional_ , but, well, we're like a family. And, and I really like having that. I would miss all of you too much.”

“Do you think they'll be having any jobs open for stewards, Skip?”

“No, but why-”

“Oh, that's too bad. 'Cause of course if they did, you could get paid and have a bit of MJN with you.”

Martin was absolutely speechless. Here was Arthur volunteering to take up a job at a completely different airline just for the offchance that maybe they'd be on the same plane together. Just to make this decision a little easier for him. Arthur was an absolute saint.

“Skip, are you crying?”

Martin blinked a few times, and it turned out he was indeed quite watery eyed. He hadn't even realized it.

22,000 pounds with a professional airline, or getting to fly with people who care for him more than anything in the world? This should've been easy to choose.

“Arthur, you...you d-don't have to do that. Besides, they, they probably wouldn't understand you enough and fire you before too long. And that'd, it would just make me feel worse, knowing I basically dragged you into it.

“Umm, then maybe I could move with you?”

“No, I-I don't think Carolyn would be so happy to lose you too.”

“Oh. I'm trying to help, but it's not working, is it?”

Martin just shook his head.

“Skip, I'm not sure if I'd rather have you still here with us so we can still be Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, or see you go on to better airlines. But I do know one thing. I want you to be happy.”

Martin was starting to wonder how much he had to drink that night. He just realized he was having quite a serious conversation with _Arthur Shappey_. But to be happy? He could see himself being happier with either solution. Stay with MJN, and he'd still be with possibly the most fun airline (or should he say airdot?) in the sky. Leave, and he'd be paid, and wouldn't have to struggle with Icarus Removals to get by or live in an attic, and he'd even have money left over to do other things. But then again, what else would he do besides fly? All the money that didn't go to living expenses would probably just sit forever...

“Well, I'll keep that one in mind.”

“Skip, I think you lost your bet. No one's even talking to me anymore.”

“You know, the man can make the first move sometimes you know.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you don't have to wait around for it.”

“I don't?”

“Yeah! If there's someone in this pub that you're really interested in, let them know. Go say hello, start chatting. Maybe that person will luck out and be the right one for your Valentine.”

“Well, I guess there is someone...”

“Who is it?” Martin asked, standing up and moving over towards Arthur's line of view. “Point her out to me.”

It was a few seconds and no response at all came from the steward. Martin looked over, and noticed that Arthur actually looked really nervous. Since when did Arthur Shappey get shy around people?

“What's wrong?”

“They're just going to say no.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I actually know them, and they just won't.”

“You're starting to sound like me, Arthur. You don't wanna sound like me if you want any chance with her. I know you like her, or else you wouldn't be so concerned over this. Give it a chance, you never know.”

“Give it a chance?”

“Yes!”

“If you say so.” Arthur still looked bashful, but before Martin could even blink, he suddenly had a pair of lips on his own.

RED ALERT RED ALERT his brain seemed to be telling him. ARTHUR SHAPPEY IS KISSING YOU. What was only a few seconds felt more like a full minute under his full-on panic mode. When Arthur pulled away, Martin just stared at him wide-eyed. He could still register though the complete shame on younger man's face.

“A-A-Ar-Arthur. I-I-I...I...” Martin took a few deep breaths before he could manage to actually get something a little less stuttering out. “S-since, since when have you?”

“Since I first met you,” Arthur barely muttered out.

“Oh, A-Arthur. I'm...I'm sorry.”

“You don't like me back at all, do you?”

Like. What a funny word choice. Arthur was implying that he had been admiring his Skip for over five years. Like was probably a long gone feeling and replaced by something much stronger...Something Martin knew he couldn't reciprocate.

Of course he couldn't just say that to Arthur's face. That would be like taking a puppy and tossing it off a building. But looking at the man in front of him, he seemed to already know the painful truth.

“I'm so, so sorry. I had no idea! I, I really, really feel terrible.”

“It's...it's not your fault Sk-Skip.”

Oh God. Arthur was starting to cry.

“It-It's okay. You've got Theresa. She-she seems to be perfect for you.”

“Do you want me to just take you home?”

Arthur could only nod his head.

No, no, no, this was absolutely bad. How was he ever going to live with himself? He just broke Arthur's heart! No, not broke. Ripped it out, stepped on it, tore it up into little pieces, and then for good measure just jumped all over them. Because Arthur Shappey did _not_ cry. He was the eternal sunshine! Oh God, and when news of this finally got to Carolyn...He better just fess up about the interview now and be prepared to move to Switzerland.

How in the world did he make this night such a disaster? Oh right, because he was Martin Crieff.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not exactly sure if I'm going to continue this at all, but if I do it won't be for a while because I have to focus all my writing energy on the Cabin Crew Riot Two on tumblr. I mean, I can see how this ending might leave you wanting more, but I'm terrible at completing chapter fics, so that's why I'm wary of continuing it. This was just supposed to be a Valentine's one-shot, and I made it all feels-y. Sorry.
> 
> And the fic title comes from the song by Paul McCartney & Wings. Which actually lyrics wise probably isn't the best fit, but title yes.


End file.
